Release mechanism for bulkhead-doors and the like.



W. G. GIBBONS & F. J. BLAKE. EELEAsE MECHANISM FOR BULKHEAD DOORS AND THE LIKE.

APPLIOATIQN FILED 0OT.18, 1918.

Patented Feb. 24, 1914.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co.. WASHINGTON, Inc.

time STATES PATENT onion.

WILLIAM GREGORY GIBBONS, 0F EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND, AND FREDERICK JOHN BLAKE, 0F BASSETT, ENGLAND, ASSIG-NORS 'IO J. STONE 8: COMPANY LIMITED,

0F DEPTFORD, ENGLAND.

rosaere.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 24, 1914;.

Application filed October 18, 1913. Serial No. 796,089.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WVILLIAM GREGORY G'IBBONS and FREDERICK J OHN BLAKE, subjects of the King of Great Britain, and residing, respectively, at Viewpark, Russell Place, Trinity, Edinburgh, in the county of Midlothian, Scotland, and Beechcroft, Burgess street, Bassett, in the county of Hampshire, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in Release Mechanism for Bulkhead-Doors and the like, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to that type of bulkhead door mechanism in which the door is held open by a detent device which device is operated to release the door (allowing it to shut) by, for example, a float or by mechanism operated from a central stati0n--on shipboardthe bridge.

The detent device may be of any convenient for1nfor example it may be in the form of a clutch connecting the door with its train of opening gearing in which train is a worm and wormwheel the absence of reaction through which causes the door to be held open as long as the clutch remains in engagement.

The invention has for its object to provide an improved relay device, that is to say a spring, weight, or equivalent powerful enough to withdraw the clutch or detent under all possible conditions, and operatively connected thereto. According to this invention this powerful relay which is in turn controlled by a detent is capable of being freed not only by the rising of a float, or by the comparatively small effort of an electro-magnetic or other bridge control but also by a hand control so that the relay is always the means by which the clutch or detent is operated. Combined with the relay is a resetting mechanism which enables the relay after use to be reset.

In previous arrangements in which the door was suspended by the detent device in the open position, the weight of the door assisted the relay device to assist the detent after the release of a catch by the action of a bilge float or bridge control. In the case of the release being effected by a person in the vicinity of the door the relay did not come into operation because means were provided for releasing the detent or door suspension device without releasing the relay. According to these improvements however, the relay is released either by hand or by the action of a float, or by the bridge control and any one of these controls is capable of releasing the relay so that the latter may release the clutch or detent without interfering with either of the other controls.

According to a simple illustrative example, the clutch of ordinary jaw formpreferably having the jaws slightly angled for ease of engagement and disengagement is held in gear by a spring or weight of suiticient effort to keep it so. It is operatively connected to a lover or plunger to which is applied. the relay spring or equivalent which is of power sutficient to overcome the engaging spring and also throw out the clutch. This lever or plunger is in turn controlled by a simple detent catch operated by hand lever, float, or bridge mechanism. A lever socketed for the insertion of a pinch or tommy-bar is provided to reset the relay device.

The apparatus may be used in combination with the hydraulic door-operating mechanism described in the specification of our prior application for a patent, No. 789950 of 1913.

An illustrative example of the improved release mechanism is shown diagrammatically on the accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings.

As shown in the drawings the bulkhead door A is of usual form having on it a rack A which engages a pinion A on a shaft A operated through worm and wormwheel gearing A by hand or power when it is desired to raise the door. On the wormwheel is one member A of a locking clutch the other member A of which is movable endwise on the shaft A When the two parts A A of the clutch are engaged the door is held in its open position by the worm and wormwheel A On disengaging the movable part A of the clutch from the fixed part A the gearing is freed and the door descends by its own weight to the closed position. Its descent may be controlled by cataract cylinders if desired, all in known manner.

As shown in the drawings the clutch lockdevice A A of ordinary jaw form,

preferably having the jaws slightly angled for ease of engagement and disengagement, is held in gear by a spring B acting between a collar B on the shaft A and the movable member A of the clutch. The clutch is operatively connected to a plunger C by means of a bell crank lever supported on a bracket D, the one arm D of the lever being connected to the movable member A of the clutch and the other D to a pivot D in a slot C in the plunger C. To the plunger C is applied a relay spring C which is of powersutlicient to overcome the engag- 7 ing spring B and also throw out the movable member A of the clutch as hereinafter described. The plunger C is supported in brackets E, E E and carries on its lower end a link C pivoted to it by a pin 0. This link C is connected to one arm C of a bell crank lever, centered on anextension on the fixed bracket E the other arm C of this j leverbeing socketed to receive a pinch L for a purpose hereinafter described.

Inconnection with the plunger 0 there is provided a pair of links F, F hinged totion shown, the links F, F act as struts and prevent the power of the spring C being exerted to pull up the plunger G. hen it is desired that the spring C should operate the plunger 0 the handled lever G is rocked so as to cause the cam G to throw the v hinged ends of the links F, F to the opposite side of the center line from that in which they are shown. The spring C is then free and the power in it acting between the bracket E .and a collar C on the upper end of the plunger C operates that plunger as desired. In order to free the clutch on the rise of water in the ships hold there is provided a float H connected to the pivot G by means of links H H The link H is also connected by means of a link H to the handled lever G so that when the float rises the handled lever G is rocked and the mechanism again operated as hereinbefore described. The link H is slotted at H" to allow of the handled lever being rocked without actuating the float device. Instead of the relay device being freed by either handled lever G or the float H, it may be freed by the comparatively small efl'or't of an electromagnetic or other bridge control.

} ferred to.

During the operation of the relay device to free the clutch, as hereinbefore described, the link G has been raised and the bell crank lever C, C and pinch L rocked from the position shown in full lines to that of the dotted line L In order to reset the relay device the pinch L is pulled back to its first position, this pulls down the plunger C against the action of the spring G and permits the spring actuated tappet F to reset the links F, F in the position shown in the drawing in which position they act as struts to lock the relay device in its acting position. lVhen it is desired to release the clutch from a distance (such as the bridge) there is provided a small hydraulic cylinder J the plunger J of which is operated as described in the earlier specification hereihbefore re- This plunger carries links J pivoted at J 3 to the arm D of the bell crank lever. When the plunger J rises, the links J pull up the arm D which then throws the movable member A of the clutch out of engagement allowing the door to fall. During this movement the pivot D travels up the slot 0 so that the clutch is released without affecting the rest of the mechanism. Similarly the pivot J works in slots J in links J 2 so that when the relay device is worked the pivot J 3 travels up the slots J without affecting the plunger J of the hydraulic cylinder.

hat we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In bulkhead door operating gear and in combination, door opening gear, a detent device therein adapted when engaged to prevent closure of the door, a spring relay device operatively connected with said detent, a detent catch normally preventing said relay from operating, a hand lever operative to release said detent catch, a float also operative to release said detent catch, and resetting means operatively connected with said spring relay device substantially as described.-

2. In bulkhead door operating gear and in combination, door opening gear, a clutch device therein adapted when engaged to prevent closure of the door, clutch closing means normally operative to maintain said clutch in the closed condition, a spring loaded plunger, operative connection between said plunger and the disconnectible member of said clutch, a detent catch normally active to prevent operation of said spring plunger, releasing means in operative connection with said catch, and resetting means operatively connected with said spring plunger substantially as set forth.

3. In bulkhead door operating gear and in combination, door opening gear, a clutch device therein adapted when engaged to prevent closure of the door, clutch closing means normally operative to maintain said clutch in the closed condition, a spring loaded plunger operative connection between said plunger and the disconnectible member of said clutch, toggle links connected between said plunger and a fixed framing member, spring means operative -on said toggle to normally maintain the pivot center of said links about in alinement, an operatable cam adapted When turned to move the middle pivot of said toggle out of aline ment, and a manually operated linkage connected with said plunger and adapted to reset the same substantially as set forth.

WILLIAM GREGORY GIBBONS. FREDERICK JOHN BLAKE.

Witnesses to the signature of William Gregory Gibbons:

Gnomes WHITELAW, JOHN HUMPHREY GIBBoNs. WVitnesses to the signature of Frederick John Blake:

P. MICHAEL PETUS, P. PHILLIPS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

